do you think its wrong?

Question

to let a cat play with live mice? okay let me explain the situation and then make a few points before you answer.

i bought 2 fancy mice, and my kitty loves to chase them around the room.... he's never hurt them.. and he wouldn't.. he's front declawed... he doesn't bite.. he picks them up in his mouth ever so gently to carry them, but thats it...

1. its okay to feed your pet snake and frogs live mice.. or dead mice.... that have been made "dead" for the purpose of killing. but how is it any different to let a live mouse run around your snake's cage before being eaten?

2. the cat is gentle, doesn't bite them, and is front declawed.

3. the cat likes to play with toy mice, and he sees these mice as "toys" just the same as his toys

4. the mice do fine.. one tries to hide under the cat, and the other one stands on his back paws and smacks the cat back, and squeaks to scare the poo out of the kitty..

what do you think... cruel? or not cruel?

Answer 1

Not cruel. As you point out, people do feed live mice to snakes (particularly boa constrictors -- not a pretty sight!); that may seem cruel, but, the snake's gotta eat, too. It does go on in the animal kingdom -- ever see a video of a hyena taking down a gazelle? They don't exactly wait til the animal is dead, before munching on it!

At any rate, it seems that both the cat and the mice consider it "play"; I presume yours is an indoor cat, since he's declawed, and this give him a chance to use his natural hunting instincts, without causing harm. Obviously, you're supervising this, and would immediately intervene if the mice were in danger.

Answer 2

How could the mice be OK with it? The cat is obviously a predator and to them they're obviously about to be eaten. It's only cute from the cat's perspective if you look at the mice like they're not alive. Everything struggles to survive when they feel that death is upon them. Stress hormones are released in animals in those kinds of situations so the mice's bodies are constantly being taxed by this immune-suppressing hormone. Imagine your worst nightmare never ending until you die. Mice are not as intelligent as cats and dogs and will never come to the conclusion that a game is being played.

To compare it to mice being used for food is negating the fact that those are quick deaths in order to ensure the survival of an animal that feeds on them in the wild and won't eat anything else. Your cat has plenty of other options for food.

Maybe you think it's a natural instinct for the cat to go for the mice and that makes it good for him. If that were the case than you shouldn't have had the cat declawed, or neutered because of their natural instincts involving spraying everything and scratching on things.

Your wondering on your own if it's wrong or not suggests that you had an idea it was wrong from the start. I would go with your instincts on this one, not with the convenient solution.


One last thing; if snakes could eat prepared foods like a cat can, then there would be no need to feed them live mice. Snakes kill to eat and to live, a cat - no matter how well fed - will torture mice for hours before they eventually die of shock, fear or pain. Snakes also kill very quickly - it's all about food.

My wife has had a snake for 15 years and it's been a wonderful companion and a beautiful and marvelous pet to own the whole time. She never once has tormented anything given to her for food.

Just because a mouse is a smaller, lesser creature does not give anyone the right to torment it. It still feels pain and fear - emotional elements you know they have because they're there go keep them alive. Yes, I have a pet snake and yes, I feed it rats. And they are fed as humainly as possible. I don't believe any animal should be tormented - even "feeder" animals.

Answer 3

It is cruel for the mere fact that the mouse doesn't know that the cat is just playing.

Imagine if you were walking in the woods and a friendly grizzly bear started chasing you, gently putting you in his mouth and gently pawing at you. Would it still scare the crap out of you?

I do understand your reasoning. When I go to the pet store I look at the small birds and think about how much fun my cat would have. The thing that stops me is being aware that it is cruel for the prey animal.

I feed my cat pet food so he doesn't need mice. A snakes food consists of live mice. I still don't like the thought of it, but it seems more natural.

I really don't know why it seems "more" cruel for the mouse with the cat vs the snake.

Answer 4

1. I don't think snakes should even BE pets, but that aside, it is different. A mouse doesn't feel any pain if it's already dead, does it? And I'm pretty sure that they kill those animals bred for these purposes in a painless way.

I can't really say whether I find it cruel or not...really, as long as you keep an eye out for the mice then I guess it's fine. My cats actually go down into the basement to chase the field mice that get in the house, and generally they play with/torture the poor things for, like, 10 minutes, and then kill them (unless we hear the mice squeaking and intervene). If your cat isn't hurting them, however, and the mice don't seem to be scared out of their wits, then I guess it's your choice. Just remember to watch them very carefully and be ready to intervene quickly.

Answer 5

You know, I'm kind of a softie when it comes to critters and my first inclination would be to say that it's cruel to the mice. But if the mice are truly playing with the cat and it's the same two mice and the same cat all the time, then they probably understand the game. It doesn't sound all that different than cats and dogs playing together or any other sort of "mismatched" pairs. If the cat can't or doesn't hurt them, then it shouldn't be an issue.

Answer 6

well it all depends if the MICE is okay with it.. lol
no its not cruel bc u did make a point and said that the mice get fed to snakes so why not make it a play toy for kitties!?

-- plus if it does then its just the food chain..and EVERYONE is part of that --

Answer 7

Personally, I think it is adorable. Sounds just as fun for the mice! I also have a declawed Tom that loves to bring in mice alive and catch them again and again....For 'wild' mice though....this game is not as much fun for them, they get too scared.

Answer 8

(My Attempt For A Best Answer)
Hey, I don't think that its thats cruel.

Since The Cat doesnt hurt them the mice will probably find out soon that he/she is just playing

Ya I don't like how the snakes just devour the mice and I think its fine what your doing

My cat used to play with mice (when she found them) and play with them by torturing them then kill them. Its just a cat thing and its an intinct something used by there ancestors

I think for number 1 that i know the snake has to eat something even though i dont really like them that they should just eat it and
not let it be painful I know its just a mouse but its still
something living


Hope this Helped! :-)

Answer 9

Well, if the cat is not hurting the mice, and the mice don't mind, I wouldn't see a problem. :)

Answer 10

I think it sounds like fun! Cats are fun to watch, but with a live mouse running around, I bet it is a riot! Nothing wrong with it. Not cruel!